48 FISH AND GAME COMMISSION 



CROP DAMAGE 



Game damage to crops and land has been a constant problem. In 

 the rice fields, losses have been greatly reduced by herding ducks and 

 geese with airplanes and by using bombs, flood lights, scare crows and 

 strings of firecrackers on a slow-burning fuse that ignites the crackers at 

 definite intervals throughout the time the birds may have been working 

 in the field. 



The acquisition of lands and better control of grazing seem to be the 

 best answer to the deer problem in areas where deer are damaging 

 orchards, gardens, crops and grain fields, some ground has been gained 

 by herding, and by the use of repellent sprays. The ultimate answer in 

 certain areas seems to be a thinning of the herds by trapping or other 

 means. Trapping is feasible where deer congregate in considerable num- 

 bers in a limited area, but trapping will be slower and much more costly 

 where they are scattered over a large area. 



AVAILABLE HUNTING AREAS 



By far the most serious problem confronting the sportsmen of Cali- 

 fornia is one that can be resolved only by the sportsmen themselves. It is 

 a problem worthy of full-time attention of all the sportsmen's organiza- 

 tions in the State. The problem, briefly defined, is the promotion of better 

 relations with landowners in order that the responsible hunter may have 

 access to additional land on which to hunt. 



More and more acreage is being closed, chiefly because of the actions 

 of psuedo-sportsmen. There is a considerable percentage of meat hunters 

 who have no regard for the rights of property owners and who have con- 

 ducted themselves in a manner which has prejudiced landowners toward 

 all hunters, including true sportsmen. 



California has an area (in round numbers) of 100,000,000 acres. Only 

 a small percentage of this area is highly developed agricultural land. 

 There is no valid reason why the greater portion of the balance should 

 not be open to sportsmen, if the owners could be assured hunters would 

 observe the code advocated by all sportsman's organizations, to an end 

 that deliberate acts of vandalism would be eliminated. 



Through the action of psuedo-sportsmen, stock has been wantonly 

 killed and crippled, gates left open, domestic fowl slaughtered, fences 

 broken down, crops destro.yed and property burned. There also has been 

 much illegal hunting which landowners, generally, do not approve. 



The closing of national forests became necessary because those in 

 charge felt that hunters, generally, cannot be trusted. The restrictive 

 action was a direct outgrowth of destructive acts by a very small per- 

 centage of the hunters who previouslj^ enjoyed the forests. 



Better control of meat hunters, and hooligans with guns, by sports- 

 men 's organizations can bring about better hunting on lands now closed 

 to the public. 



PUBLIC SHOOTING GROUNDS 



The matter of public shooting grounds was vigorously advocated 

 early in 1944, and the Bureau of Game Conservation was instructed to 

 investigate and appraise suitable lands. 



